Continuing our look at the crafting categories below the line at this year’s Oscars, we come to film editing. The editor or editors of a film are often the most important employees of a director. The director and editor often sit in an editing room for hours, days, even months, shaping the pace and feel of a film until it’s just right, as is the case with this year’s five films nominated.
This is a particularly invigorating year for the category. We only have one previous Oscar winner from a few years ago, so we might see a new Oscar champion this year. The diversity in this year’s category is also pretty exciting, as all five editors have worked on Oscar-nominated Best Pictures, and not all are nominees for quick-cut, fast-paced action films.
“The Banshees of Inisherin” – Mikkel EG Nielsen
Just a few years after winning the Oscar for Sound of Metal, the Danish editor received his second nomination for this quieter dramedy from the Oscar winner Martin McDonagh (“Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri”). Since this category often goes to films with faster editing, which increases the pace (as is the case with some of the other nominees), it’s a bit of a surprise that this more subtle film fell short of other competitors like Babylon and Nothing New in the West .” It’s a testament to how much the Academy editors valued Nielsen’s work, so who’s to question it?
“Elvis” – Matt Villa And Jonathan Redmond
Baz Luhrmans films typically rely heavily on editing to create the distinctive pacing he is known for. Although both Villa and Redmond have previously worked with the Australian filmmaker (notably on 2013’s The Great Gatsby), they are the second editors to have received Oscar nominations for their work, while Lurhmann is yet to have an Oscar nomination received for directing. “Elvis” is another visual masterpiece, thanks to all the Oscar-nominated craftsmen involved in Luhrmann’s dream project, but the non-editor members of the Academy (who can vote for winners in this category and all) will get the full contribution from him and quite appreciate editors?
“Everything everywhere at once” – PaulRogers
The Daniels‘ fantastically frenetic absurd comedy received support across the board from the Academy, few artisanal chapters gave it no nominations (particularly cinematography and sound). But the editing by first-time nominee Rogers, a longtime Daniels collaborator, adds a lot to the pacing, especially in sequences where we switch between different multiversal incarnations Michelle Yeoh‘s Evelyn Wang and her daughter Joy (Stephanie Hasu).
“TAR” – Monica Willie
Another quieter character drama that benefits greatly from heavy editing is Todd Field‘s third feature film, which also earned him directing and screenplay nominations. Willi has worked intensively with Austrian filmmakers, Michael Hankewho edits Oscar-nominated films like The White Ribbon and Amour, so it’s great that her contribution to the film is finally being recognized in a category where few women are nominated, let alone win.
“Top Gun: Maverick” – Edie Hamilton
Although Top Gun received nominations for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and other craft applications, it lacked a director nomination Josef Kosinsky one wonders whether Tom cruise‘s sequel may lose some of those categories to another action-packed film, the German All Quiet on the Western Front. That probably should have been nominated for its edit as well, but being left out of that category might give Top Gun a slight edge.
The Gold Derby pundits are fairly well split between “Everything Everywhere” and “Top Gun,” which won that category, but it could have been a tripartite one if “All Quiet on the Western Front” had been nominated for its edit .
Now make your predictions at the Gold Derby. Download our free and simple app for Apple/iPhone devices or Android (Google Play) to compete against legions of other fans as well as our experts and editors for the best prediction accuracy scores. Check out our latest prediction champions. Next, can you top our prestigious leaderboards? Always remember to keep your predictions up-to-date as they affect our latest circuit odds that scare Hollywood bosses and stars. Don’t miss the fun. Say it and share your sour opinions on our famous forums, where 5,000 showbiz executives lurk every day to follow the latest awards. Everyone wants to know: what do you think? Who do you predict and why?
